Bush defends Part D success, concedes problems

In a speech in upstate New York, President Bush acknowledged that the new Medicare prescription drug benefit has had a rocky start. Bush defended the program as a good deal for seniors in a half hour forum, saying "Any time Washington passes a new law, sometimes the transition period can be interesting." Analysts expect Democrats to try to use the benefit's problems as political leverage in November.

The New York Times compared the speech to earlier talks in which the White House has admitted mistakes, calling it "an echo of speeches conceding errors in the responses to Hurricane Katrina and the Iraq reconstruction." The Washington Times reported on the event slightly differently, noting that Bush "conceded problems" while stressing the program's advantages.

- read this article from The New York Times 
- see this article from The Washington Times

PLUS: Washington political daily The Hill reports that relations between the hospital industry and the White House appear to be deteriorating a little in the wake of the administration's drive to post detailed pricing data online. The paper cites an angry exchange between administration economic advisor Allan Hubbard and Tenet Healthcare lobbyist Daniel Waldmann at a recent press conference. Article

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